Tintype newbie

[RPippin]

I've sent off my Kodak 2D to Star Camera for a new back for tintype and colodian work, ordered the Tintype kit from Rockland for 8X10, and am waiting for everything to arrive. Now I have some questions. First off, what kind of helpful hints out there for a new user of the Rockland Colodial kit? How long will the plates keep after coating before shooting? How long after exposing them do I have to develop? Can I do a wet process with the colodian kit from Bostick & Sullivan by adding silver nitrate? It's going to be a few months before I can get into a workshop to ask these questions, and I will, but in the mean time I'm trying to get all the info I can. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
R

[Jim Noel]

Experience tells me if you want to learn to work with collodion,the Rockland kit is a waste of time and money. You are better off to order a tintype or wet plate kit from B&S and work with the correct materials from the beginning.

[RPippin]

Thanks, and will look into what B&S has, but I've already ordered the Rockland kit from Freestyle. I've seen good results from others online with this kit, just want some advice on how to proceed with what I have. Thanks again.

[Ari]

I was asking the same kinds of questions last week; Garrett (goamules) suggested some reading, since there would be umpteen beginner-type questions.
Here is the book I bought and am now waiting for: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1482659948/..._M3T1_ST1_dp_1

[Bill_4606]

Until you can get to a workshop, get hold of Quinn Jacobson's book " Chemical Pictures". I have the ebook version on my ipad with embedded links to video demonstrations. There is a hard copy version too. Quinn also has several YouTube videos on techniques in the wet plate process. I recommend to read, study, watch the videos, and learn the process before you jump into pouring plates. You also must learn about the safe handling of the chemistry.
Bill
PS:
I just noticed the link in the previous post is to Quinn's book on Amazon.

[Ari]

I've now had "Chemical Pictures" by Q. Jacobson for a week, I've had a chance to go through some of the chapters more than once.
I think it's an excellent reference book for someone like me: starting out in wet plate with no idea of what's happening.
Much of the stuff in the book is online, in articles or on YouTube, but having the book nearby, reading through it at random, is a great way for all the knowledge to soak in.
Every step, hazard, precaution and troubleshooting technique is carefully described, step-by-step in simple, if sometimes poorly edited, prose.

I'd recommend this book to any wet plate newbie, and I'm glad I got it.